BELAGAVI
While the farmers agitation is losing its steam, work on the Halga-Macche 9 kms bypass on the Belagavi-Panaji NH748A has been accelerated since the beginning of this year.
The contractor has stepped up work by increasing men and machinery for the completion of the stretch which will enable the completion of the road at least by the end of this year.
Once completed, the bypass will facilitate faster, safer and swift passing of multi-axle and heavy vehicles including vehicles from Goa and Mangaluru, ending the traffic congestion in Belagavi city.
“All these days, the bypass was being built with one or two JCBs, and the number of employees has also been increased. In addition, the pressure on the contractor to complete the work as soon as possible is increasing. Hence the work is likely to be completed by this year end. The work includes one Railway Over Bridge on Belagavi- Desur Railway line,” NHAI project director Bhuvanesh Kumar said.
It may be recalled that the work on the bypass that had started in 2018 was delayed due to opposition to the Halga-Machhe Bypass work since last decade.
Along with protesting on the streets, a legal battle is also being waged. However, the bypass work has continued despite the farmers’ opposition. On Sunday, January 12, angry farmers had stopped the work of the bypass that according to farmers was being carried out illegally. The farmers had warned that no further road work should be done under any circumstances.
However, the contractor has restarted the work from January 13 with new vigor while the police van being stationed there. Farmers have not returned back to the site since then and the work is being carried out with more men and machinery.
